Minnesota NOW Times

Why NOW is relevant to my life

This letter is in response to Lee Janisch’s letter in the Summer edition of the MN NOW Times about why NOW is relevant:

I joined NOW while I was in college in the early ‘80s. At that time, I attended meetings at Bryant Park in Minneapolis and was an active member. I started with joining a consciousness raising group, working on issues, attending conferences and meeting interesting women. I stopped participating in NOW and being a member after I began working after college.

In the early ‘90s, I rejoined NOW. I think it’s really true about time constraints that Lee Janisch referred to in her letter. As a parent and going to a job it is really hard to find time to do the work of activism. But I think my convictions have grown stronger during the past seven to eight years.

The issue of reproductive rights is fundamental to women’s rights. When Gov. Ventura vetoed the 24-hour waiting period for an abortion, I could hardly believe what was happening in our state legislature and how strong the shift has been toward a conservative, anti-choice agenda.

There is so much as stake in the presidential election. A conservative president, beholden to anti-choice contributors, would push women back 30 years or more in terms of abortion rights, privacy rights and legal rights. It angers me to read that a woman is suing her insurance company because it does not include birth control in its coverage, and yet many insurance companies provide coverage to men for Viagra.

NOW is very relevant to my life. NOW is one of several organizations I have joined or rejoined during the ‘90s. My immediate plan is to write Wal-Mart about their unwillingness to provide EC, to Simon and Schuster about their “Panty Raider” CD-Rom, and I just left a message at MN NOW stating that I want to participate in any action to be taken when the Promise Keepers come to the Target Center in September.

Camille C. Ritter
St. Louis Park